Frankenmuth Michigan Snowfest 2019

There’s always something happening in Frankenmuth. Kayaking, beer fests, excellent hotels, fabulous dining- I could go on! But every January Michiganians gear up for the Zehnder’s Snowfest. This festival features world class ice sculptors, pony rides, exotic animal petting pens, live music, and much more.

This year’s Snowfest was particularly good because the weather was perfect. You might wonder how perfect weather could ever be considered perfect at 12 degrees F. Well, although that might be just a tad cold for most humans, it’s pretty mild for most Michigan natives...ok, for some Michigan natives (we know how to layer). The low temperatures were low enough to keep the sculptures from melting, and high enough to keep the tourists happy. It wasn’t bad as long as you were moving. However, when there are dozens of sculputures demanding your attention it’s hard not to stop and gawk for a while. Let’s take a look at some!

My wife, Sondra, and I agreed upon this one as being our favorite. It had no label, most if not all don’t, so I don’t know what to call it. It looked like a piece of modern art, the delicate rings seeming to defy gravity. It would’ve been wonderful to be able to watch them work and see just how they pulled it off, but we were a day late. That’s ok. I don’t need to see how the chef prepares the food. Just let me eat!

At the other end of the spectrum we found this artistically crude and clever sculpture of a plumber showing the quintessential gluteal seperation. Note the drink atop the sink. Also note how he is reaching for a tool yet is in for a rude awakening as he grabs, not his wrench, but a dog’s tail! What attention to detail by the artist. How often to you get the chance to gasp in wonder then turn around and belly laugh? This is just one aspect of why the Snowfest is so specia.

There really is something for everyone. What you are seeing here is pretty a small representation of the many sculptures that were open to the public, and all of them are of the highest quality.

Snowfests of the past have had their troubles. Though the talent is always top-notch, the weather doesn’t always cooperate. This was definitely one of the better years; in fact it was the best one I’ve attended weather-wise.

Everybody has a chicken lover in the family so why not treat them, and yourself, to some of the best chicken in the state? On a cold day such as this a hot chicken sandwhich smothered in gravy really hits the spot, but so does a steaming cup of soup. Zehnder’s has an excellent selection of soups and salads in the bakery/deli section of the restaurant located in the basement. It’s a great reprieve from the cold outdoors and boasts the highest quality of both service as well as products. Many gift shops are found down there as well.

For $5 you could pick up a puppy and have your picture taken with it. This struck me as inappropriate and rubbed me the wrong way. However, my wife, always seeing the positive side of things, suggested perhaps the money went to a shelter. Then I felt guilty for not paying the $5. Oh well, there’s next year.

This handsome fellow certainly was a long way from home. Goats, puppies, ponies, and camels like this one were available for petting and feeding. I kept my distance from the camel though. I had a fairly disturbing experience with a llama as a child that involved popcorn and spitting, and I wasn’t the one doing the spitting. Knowing that dromedaries as well as alpacas (they are in the same family) are capable of loogie tossing I thought it best to stay close to the puppies as seen in the video.

While the camel stirred up a few unpleasant memories the rest of the day was filled only with making new ones. There is so much to see and do in Frankenmuth I recommend taking a few days and checking into some of the wonderful accommodations found right in town. The cuisine is wonderful, the atmosphere found elsewhere only in Deutschland itself. Maybe we’ll see you there next year. Until then, aufwedersehen!